The present invention relates generally to a sighting device and, in particular, to a golf driving range sighting device and a method for use thereof.
In order to improve their accuracy and consistency, golfers practice at the driving range. While nearly every golfer starts with a high level of focus and concentration on improvement, nearly all golfers become bored and unfocused by the time they finish their bucket of balls. It has long been an elusive goal of practicing golfers to be able to maintain their level of concentration and focus while practicing in order to improve the accuracy in their golf game.
Heretofore, a goal of several inventors was to bring competition to the driving range. It has long been recognized that competition enhances a golfer""s ability to stay focused at the range. Elaborate, expensive and many complicated approaches have been proposed to allow the scoring of a player""s shots. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,652 to Lang (1996) proposes the landing area of the driving range be set up with a grid pattern with scoring based on proximity of a hit golf ball to an intended grid location This patent would require extensive modification to existing ranges or would require a newly designed range to incorporate its design for a target grid pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,385 to Tegart (1989) proposes a double-ended course where drives are hit to one area, chipping to a separate area and putting to a third area. This also requires either a newly designed range or an extensive and expensive reconstruction of an existing range to enable a golfer to play a simulated round of golf. Others have suggested rotating buildings as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,115 to Ferns et al. (1995) or alarm sounding devices to alert persons of a hole-in-one at the driving range as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,642 to Bonacorsi (1997).
These implementations are problematic in that they all require modifications to the range to provide the environment for competition. The ability to implement competitive scoring to keep the golfer interested does not require movable targets on the range, or camera equipment with computers and automated ball identification apparatus as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,841 to Takagi (1996). Golf is a game of distance and accuracy, but primarily it is a game of left and right.
Hence, the disadvantages of the prior art are, inter alia:
1) Cost to manufacture;
2) Cost for driving range site construction or reconstruction;
3) Complexity;
4) Mechanical reliability.
Accordingly, there is a need for a means of keeping golfers at the driving range interested, focused and concentrating on each and every shot without the disadvantages associated with the prior art. Furthermore, there is a need for the practice time to be entertaining.
The present invention is distinguished over the known prior art in a multiplicity of ways. For one thing, the present invention provides means for enabling a golfer to judge the accuracy of each shot taken at the driving range and for enabling the golfer to rate or score the accuracy of each shot without the elaborate range altering schemes or expensive equipment as found in the prior art.
The present invention comprises a hand-held device with adjustable flags that when held at arms-length produces a visual window of acceptability both left and right of an intended target and may be calibrated by both the golfers"" ability level (handicap) and their height. Further, it sets lateral limits for what is considered an excellent shot regardless of their handicap (e.g., a birdie-type shot).
The visual angles that are created by moving a set of vertical flags on the hand-held device away from a target flag on the hand-held device, that may be aligned to the intended target, creates views of the driving range landing area that are increasingly easy to hit as they become more separated.
The present invention further includes a sighting device that is calibrated to the golfer""s height (and correspondingly related arms-length) and to their ability level. The calibrations create an equivalent sight-angle for golfers of varying height. The calibration related to the player""s ability level or handicap creates a visual target on the practice range with lateral limits defined. These lateral limits appear as xe2x80x9cgoal-postsxe2x80x9d when the device is sighted. The golfer hits their shot and views the landing of their shot in relation to the intended target (typically a flag or yardage marker). The adjustable xe2x80x9cgoal-postsxe2x80x9d provide the means of rating each shot as a birdie-type (very good), par-type (average for their handicap) or as a bogey-type shot (below average for their handicap).
Scoring provides the means for a golfer to maintain the desirable concentration level, by making each shot count. The games that can be played provide the entertainment value and concentration. Furthermore, when used with a practice scorecard it provides the accuracy rating that allows golfers to improve by knowing which clubs they are accurate with and which they are not.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a new, novel and useful golf driving range sighting device and a method for use thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device which creates a visual perspective of the driving range in relation to the intended target that challenges the golfer.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device which creates a visual perspective of the driving range in relation to the intended target that entertains the golfer.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device which creates a visual perspective of the driving range in relation to the intended target that visually informs the golfer on the rating of every golf shot hit.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device which provides the feedback necessary to improve golfing accuracy.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device that provides an inexpensive implementation of a scoring system at the driving range.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device that has the ability to challenge golfers of varying skill levels equally.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf driving range sighting device that has the ability to calibrate the sighting angles based on golfer height (and their orthopedically related arm length).
These and other objects and advantages will be made manifest when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.